Diwali 2024: India Festival: From North to South, Discover How Different States Celebrate the Festival of Lights India gears up for the grand celebration of Diwali, embracing the festival with regional traditions, vibrant lights, and a feast of flavors.
The festival of Diwali in 2024 will be celebrated on Friday, November 1, across India. As one of the most important Hindu festivals, Diwali symbolizes the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil. Every year, these festivities unite the country in joy, and each region brings its unique flavor to the celebration.
Lights and Decorations: A Nation Brightens Up Diwali 2024: India Festival
Across India, streets and homes come alive with vibrant displays of lights. In North India, homes and temples are illuminated with oil lamps, known as diyas, and strings of colorful electric lights. The glow from thousands of lights reflects the joy of welcoming Lord Rama back to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile, according to Hindu mythology. People in Delhi and Punjab often light firecrackers, further adding to the dazzling nighttime skies.
Meanwhile, in South India, Diwali begins early in the morning. Here, homes are cleaned and decorated with intricate rangoli designs made from colored powders. In Tamil Nadu, families rise before dawn, take oil baths, and offer prayers. The lighting of lamps here symbolizes the destruction of evil forces by Lord Krishna.
In West Bengal, the festival is celebrated as Kali Puja, where homes are lit with candles, and Goddess Kali is worshiped for her power. The lighting of lamps also symbolizes her strength in dispelling darkness.
Traditional Food: A Feast for the Senses Diwali 2024: India Festival
Food plays a central role in Diwali celebrations. Each state has its own specialties. For instance, in Gujarat, Dhokla and Fafda are popular snacks, while sweets like Kaju Katli and Gulab Jamun are enjoyed by all. In Maharashtra, people savor Shankarpara, sweet diamond-shaped cookies, and Chakli, a crispy snack made from rice flour.
In Bengal, sweets like Sandesh and Rasgulla take center stage, while in South India, dishes like Adhirasam, a fried sweet made from rice flour, and Murukku, a crunchy savory snack, are prepared. Across India, families exchange these treats as a sign of good fortune.
Traditional Clothing: Vibrant and Colorful
Diwali is also a time for wearing new clothes. In Rajasthan and Gujarat, men often wear colorful turbans and kurtas, while women adorn themselves in bright Lehenga-Cholis and sarees with heavy embroidery. Tamil Nadu and Kerala, women wear silk sarees with gold borders, and men are seen in traditional Dhotis.
In West Bengal, women wear vibrant red-and-white sarees, symbolizing purity and fertility. Men, on the other hand, opt for Kurta-Pajamas, often in light, breezy fabrics suited for the festivities.
Diwali 2024 is set to be a joyous occasion, bringing together the nation’s diversity through lights, food, and colorful clothing.